Nuclear Blast
2011
1. Facing Tomorrow
2. Denial
3. Flood River Blood
4. Voyage Of Discovery
5. In Silence With My Scars
6. My Fallen
7. Destroyer Of Bloodlines
8. Wayward Soul
9. The Bottom Deep
10. In Union We Stand (OverKill cover)
Communic are a band I've liked since their first album, but this band has always kind of lived in a big shadow for me. Not that I don't like them... far from... but I'm a Huge Nevermore fan and the similarities are striking. Still, they do have a bit more of a progressive edge and do have their own style of writing even if the general sound and vocals are very reminiscent. It's not that I hold it against Communic at all, but I've always held Nevermore in higher regard. The thing about this Now though is that with Nevermore on such shaky ground, this band has the chance to climb the totem poll for me if they play their cards right.
Listening to The Bottom Deep I can't say there are any big surprises for me, but that's not such a bad thing in itself. Really, this band has a solid sound and manages to make the kind of progressive music I particularly enjoy. Basically, the kind with balls and enough heaviness to satisfy. This does not ever get too absorbed in trying to be 'innovative' or forget to send some solid, heavy rhythms your way. There are some softer moments, but really they only serve to establish mood and bring a seriously dark feel to the music which I find highly enjoyable. This band is great at using atmosphere to Increase the dark and intense feeling and not detract from it. There are some nice quirks to the music though such as changing riffs and time signatures which provide depth and keep you absorbed in listening. The Bottom Deep has a pretty damn solid blend of technical skill, imagination, and keeping the songs memorable.
Maybe Communic does draw some from the sound of Nevermore, but it's really not a deal breaker. First of all... there are far worse bands to draw inspiration from in sound. Secondly, they do bring their own take to it and this is not just a clone. Thinking of how many bands draw inspiration directly from the Priest or Maiden sound(s) it's really not that big of a deal. I don't mean to harp on it, but the criticism is common and it's just not really a big deal to me.
Noteworthy songs include just about everything so I'm not going to go into track by track really. Up to this point, I feel this way about every album Communic has done. All the albums manage to come together as a complete soundscape and really paint a picture. Perhaps the one oddball track is In Union We Stand just because it's a cover and an interesting one at that. This is not a useless extra at all as sometimes covers can be. First of all, it's an interesting choice for the band picking a stylistically dissimilar thrash metal song. The thing is however that they totally make this song their own and it comes together absolutely beautifully. The chorus is majestic and the song sounds heavy as hell. Kudos boys. I'm a big OverKill fan and this cover put a smile on my face. Communic make this song sound damn epic.
Communic succeed here in putting together a heavy and involving listen from start to finish. Not a weak track. Maybe nothing incredibly new in sound, but I don't really hear Fans crying for it either. Communic has a good formula and they're driving it home here. Recommended to fans of Nevermore and heavier progressive or progressive/power. Might not be a reach to say this band could appeal to anyone who likes dark atmospheres and emotion as strong players in their metal.
Highlights: Flood River Blood, Denial, Wayward Soul, In Union We Stand
Rating - 4.0/5
2. Denial
3. Flood River Blood
4. Voyage Of Discovery
5. In Silence With My Scars
6. My Fallen
7. Destroyer Of Bloodlines
8. Wayward Soul
9. The Bottom Deep
10. In Union We Stand (OverKill cover)
Communic are a band I've liked since their first album, but this band has always kind of lived in a big shadow for me. Not that I don't like them... far from... but I'm a Huge Nevermore fan and the similarities are striking. Still, they do have a bit more of a progressive edge and do have their own style of writing even if the general sound and vocals are very reminiscent. It's not that I hold it against Communic at all, but I've always held Nevermore in higher regard. The thing about this Now though is that with Nevermore on such shaky ground, this band has the chance to climb the totem poll for me if they play their cards right.
Listening to The Bottom Deep I can't say there are any big surprises for me, but that's not such a bad thing in itself. Really, this band has a solid sound and manages to make the kind of progressive music I particularly enjoy. Basically, the kind with balls and enough heaviness to satisfy. This does not ever get too absorbed in trying to be 'innovative' or forget to send some solid, heavy rhythms your way. There are some softer moments, but really they only serve to establish mood and bring a seriously dark feel to the music which I find highly enjoyable. This band is great at using atmosphere to Increase the dark and intense feeling and not detract from it. There are some nice quirks to the music though such as changing riffs and time signatures which provide depth and keep you absorbed in listening. The Bottom Deep has a pretty damn solid blend of technical skill, imagination, and keeping the songs memorable.
Maybe Communic does draw some from the sound of Nevermore, but it's really not a deal breaker. First of all... there are far worse bands to draw inspiration from in sound. Secondly, they do bring their own take to it and this is not just a clone. Thinking of how many bands draw inspiration directly from the Priest or Maiden sound(s) it's really not that big of a deal. I don't mean to harp on it, but the criticism is common and it's just not really a big deal to me.
Noteworthy songs include just about everything so I'm not going to go into track by track really. Up to this point, I feel this way about every album Communic has done. All the albums manage to come together as a complete soundscape and really paint a picture. Perhaps the one oddball track is In Union We Stand just because it's a cover and an interesting one at that. This is not a useless extra at all as sometimes covers can be. First of all, it's an interesting choice for the band picking a stylistically dissimilar thrash metal song. The thing is however that they totally make this song their own and it comes together absolutely beautifully. The chorus is majestic and the song sounds heavy as hell. Kudos boys. I'm a big OverKill fan and this cover put a smile on my face. Communic make this song sound damn epic.
Communic succeed here in putting together a heavy and involving listen from start to finish. Not a weak track. Maybe nothing incredibly new in sound, but I don't really hear Fans crying for it either. Communic has a good formula and they're driving it home here. Recommended to fans of Nevermore and heavier progressive or progressive/power. Might not be a reach to say this band could appeal to anyone who likes dark atmospheres and emotion as strong players in their metal.
Highlights: Flood River Blood, Denial, Wayward Soul, In Union We Stand
Rating - 4.0/5
No comments:
Post a Comment